Crapemyrtle plant named &#39;G2X133251&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Crapemyrtle plant named ‘G2X133251’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; bright green-colored leaves; numerous inflorescences with pinkish lavender-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Lagerstroemia indica

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘G2X133251’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Crapemyrtle plant, botanically known as Lagerstroemia indica and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘G2X133251’.

The new Crapemyrtle plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Bellefonte, Pa. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact, mounding and freely-branching Crapemyrtle plants with large inflorescences, high temperature tolerance, winter hardiness and resistance to Powdery Mildew.

The new Crapemyrtle plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in August, 2010 of Lagerstroemia indica ‘Natchez’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Lagerstroemia indica identified as code number 8170-3, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Crapemyrtle plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on Jan. 9, 2011 as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled nursery environment in Bellefonte, Pa.

Asexual reproduction of the new Crapemyrtle plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bellefonte, Pa. since Feb. 2, 2011 has shown that the unique features of the new Crapemyrtle plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Crapemyrtle have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘G2X133251’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘G2X133251’ as a new and distinct Crapemyrtle plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Bright green-colored leaves.     -   4. Numerous inflorescences with pinkish lavender-colored         flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Crapemyrtle can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Natchez’. Plants of the new Crapemyrtle differ primarily from plants of ‘Natchez’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Crapemyrtle are more compact than plants of         ‘Natchez’.     -   2. Plants of the new Crapemyrtle have pinkish lavender-colored         flowers whereas plants of ‘Natchez’ have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Crapemyrtle can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Crapemyrtle differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Crapemyrtle have bright green-colored         leaves whereas plants of the male parent selection have pale to         medium green-colored leaves.     -   2. Plants of the new Crapemyrtle flower earlier than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Crapemyrtle have pinkish lavender-colored         flowers whereas plants of the male parent selection have         lavender-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Crapemyrtle can be compared to plants of the Lagerstroemia indica ‘Hopi’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bellefonte, Pa., plants of the new Crapemyrtle differed primarily from plants of ‘Hopi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Crapemyrtle were more compact than plants         of ‘Hopi’.     -   2. Plants of the new Crapemyrtle were more outwardly spreading         than and not as upright as plants of ‘Hopi’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Crapemyrtle were pinkish         lavender in color whereas flowers of plants of ‘Hopi’ were coral         pink in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Crapemyrtle plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Crapemyrtle plant. The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘G2X133251’ grown in a ground bed in an outdoor nursery. The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘G2X133251’ grown in a ground bed in an outdoor nursery.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Grand Haven, Mich. during the summer in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse and under cultural conditions which closely approximate commercial Crapemyrtle production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. Plants were two years when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lagerstroemia indica ‘G2X133251’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Lagerstroemia indica ‘Natchez’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Lagerstroemia indica identified as code number 8170-3, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About two to             three weeks at temperatures about 26° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four to             five weeks at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four to             five weeks at temperatures about 19° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; relatively             compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit;             vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about 42             lateral branches developing per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 66 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 29.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 6 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—About 25° to 45° from vertical.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; woody with age.         -   Color, immature.—Close to 185A.         -   Color, mature.—Close to 177A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 4.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 2 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; waxy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 179A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 180B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139B; venation,             close to 139C and at base, close to 184A. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 139C; venation, close to             139C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture,             upper surface: Slightly pubescent; coriaceous. Texture,             lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; coriaceous. Color, upper             surface: Close to 146C. Color, lower surface: Close to 146D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type, arrangement and habit.—Showy single ruffled             flowers arranged in terminal panicles; freely flowering             habit with usually about 16 flowers per inflorescence and             numerous inflorescences developing during the flowering             season; flowers face upright and outwardly; flowers not             persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Crapemyrtle             flower from June through October in Grand Haven, Mich.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 23 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 7 cm.         -   Flower length.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.3 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Shape: Obovate. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             145B overlain with close to 176B.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower and arrangement: Six arranged in             a single whorl. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm.             Shape: Roughly orbicular. Apex: Rounded, undulate. Base:             Rounded. Margin: Entire, undulate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; soft; delicate. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 81C. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 81D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to             81C; color becoming closer to 81C blended with 81B with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 81C;             color becoming closer to 81D blended with 81C with             development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower and arrangement: Six arranged in             a single whorl. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 3.2 mm.             Shape: Narrowly deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper surface: Rugose, glabrous;             coriaceous. Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 144B             overlain with close to 176B. When opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 145C and 155C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: About 5° to 35° from             stem axis. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Close to             145B; striations, tinged with close to 176B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower:             About 29. Filament length: About 1 cm. Filament color: Close             to 70D; towards the base, blended with close to 155B. Anther             length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther color:             Close to 163A; edges, close to 165A. Amount of pollen:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 163A. Gynoecium: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 2 cm. Style length: About             1.8 cm. Style color: Close to 184D. Stigma appearance:             Spherical. Stigma color: Close to 202A. Ovary: Close to 11B.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development has not been             observed on plants of the new Crapemyrtle. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Crapemyrtle have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −28° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Crapemyrtle have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Crapemyrtle plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Crapemyrtle plant named ‘G2X133251’ as illustrated and described. 